Former captains flip out over plans to scrap coin toss

Eye Witness News – A ritual since the first Test between Australia and England in 1877 risks extinction when the Cricket Committee of the ICC meet in Mumbai later this month to discuss the issue.

Summary

A ritual since the first Test between Australia and England in 1877 risks extinction when the Cricket Committee of the ICC meet in Mumbai later this month to discuss the issue.

NEW DELHI – Proposals to scrap the time-honoured tradition of a coin toss prior to test matches defy logic and should not be considered, according to several former South Asian cricket captains.

A ritual since the first test between Australia and England in 1877 risks extinction when the Cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) meet in Mumbai later this month to discuss the issue.

“If this is only about home team’s interference in pitch preparation then just introduce neutral curators,” the former test batsman told the same newspaper.

Former Australia captains Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh have backed a move to scrap the toss, while West Indies pace great Michael Holding also felt it would encourage an even contest between bat and ball.